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Chevron CEO John S. Watson delivers a keynote address during the American Association of Blacks in Energy National Conference in Houston in April 2014. ( Mayra Beltran / Houston Chronicle )

HOUSTON — Chevron Corp. CEO John Watson said the energy industry needs to do more to increase the diversity of its workforce and urged improved efforts to promote science and math education among minority students.

Watson cited recent industry forecasts showing that a third of jobs in oil, gas and petrochemicals through 2030 could be filled by black and Hispanic workers. But, he said, more work is necessary to get them ready for those positions.

“The jobs will be there for the taking, but we need to be sure African-Americans are aware of the opportunities in our industry,” said Watson, speaking Thursday at the American Association of Blacks in Energy conference in Houston.

Energy’s hiring boom

Watson’s comments came on the heels of a study by the American Petroleum Institute showing that the shale boom and an expected barrage of baby boomer retirements will likely mean a surge in new hiring in the energy sector in the coming years. Diversity advocates and the industry are pitching that hiring barrage as an opportunity to advance minority employment in a business where blacks have historically been underrepresented.

The institute finds that blacks make up just 8 percent of employees in the oil, gas and petrochemical sectors — and only 6 percent of management, business and financial jobs within that space. The U.S. population is about 13 percent black. Watson acknowledged that the industry has tried to improve those numbers, but historically, hasn’t had much luck at it.

“Achieving this goal is something that businesses across the energy sector are struggling with,” Watson said.

But Watson emphasized that the energy sector must find a way to develop a more diverse workforce and leadership structure, given the changing demographics of the country.

Chevron’s efforts

Chevron has tried to expand opportunities for minorities by upping its recruitment efforts at historically black colleges and universities and has made $3 million in donations in recent years to those schools for efforts to support fields like engineering and computer science, Watson said.

Meanwhile, the company has partnered with the American Association of Blacks in Energy and the National Society of Black Engineers to raise awareness about opportunities in the energy sector. Other companies have pursued similar steps.

Patricia King, manger of universal services for PECO, an electric and natural gas utility serving greater Philadelphia, said she was encouraged by Watson’s remarks on diversity.

“The fact that he identified that as an issue is huge,” King said.

Professionally, she said, the conference gave her the opportunity network with “people who understand your industry and look like you — that doesn’t happen very often.”

Executive level

Watson also acknowledged the lack of black CEOs in the energy sector, saying it’s a problem that permeates beyond the energy sector and affects corporate America broadly. He noted that Chevron tends to promote from within and said the way to address the issue is to ensure companies are developing a pipeline of minority talent that is getting proper training and development opportunities internally. “Then they’ll compete,” he said.

Others were skeptical of Watson’s remarks, saying they’ve heard similar comments from the energy sector and others in the past. “If all these organizations are making a commitment to STEM, then why aren’t we getting a better return?” said an official from a California utility who declined to provide his name.

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Ryan Holeywell covers energy for the Houston Chronicle. He previously wrote about transportation and municipal finance for Governing magazine, which is read by state and local government officials nationwide. Holeywell’s previous work has been published by the Washington Post and USA Today, and he has appeared on CNN and public radio to discuss his articles. Holeywell, a Houston native, graduated from George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

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